How to Prepare your Car for Winter Driving

Imagine you and your family driving into town for a fun weekend adventure. It’s been snowing, with the temperatures often falling below zero. You come around a corner and encounter slush that jerks your car to the right, popping your tire and breaking your axel. This all could have been prevented with a pre-winter checkup and a little more preparation.

Snow, wind, ice, and slush are a few winter obstacles that can turn our exciting holiday adventures into an accident waiting to happen. Winter driving elements place strain on the vehicle that isn’t usually present, so we can be in real trouble if our cars are not winter-ready. Here are just a few ideas of how you can be prepared for the cold, keeping your car on the road and yourself and family safe.

Check your battery

Car batteries don’t do well in cold temperatures. Even if your battery has worked well during the summer, it is a good idea to get it tested. Even with a good battery, purchase some jumper cables; they may come in handy for you and others during the cold winter months.

Schedule a Car Inspection

A car checkup, by a licensed professional, can solve problems before they happen. A checkup will inform you if your brakes, radiator, filters and other systems need to be repaired or replaced. This can ensure that your internal systems will not be a problem due to the cold.

Parking in a garage or under a cover will protect your car from the damages snow can have on your car. It can assist in the life of windshield wipers, door handles, and mirrors. It will also keep lines from freezing and breaking. Check with your mechanic.